Elon Musk has admitted that his chainsaw performance on stage earlier this year was a bad idea.
Back in February, while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Musk brought out a chainsaw and called it a symbol of cutting government “waste and bureaucracy.” The chainsaw was a gift from Argentina’s President, Javier Milei.
Many people on social media called the stunt “cringe” and over-the-top. On Monday night, Musk finally said what some fans had been thinking: he went too far.
“Using the chainsaw on stage probably lacked empathy,” Musk admitted.
Hitting the debt ceiling is the only thing that will actually force the government to cut waste and fraud.
That’s why the debt ceiling legislation exists!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 1, 2025
Drama with Donald Trump
Musk is also currently fighting with President Donald Trump online. The feud started when Musk criticized Trump’s new spending bill, calling it the “biggest debt increase in history.”
In response, Trump reportedly said he might “take a look” at deporting Elon Musk. Musk didn’t back down but said he’d “refrain from escalating” the fight—for now.
The Internet Reacts
Some people online praised Musk for admitting he made a mistake. Others didn’t think he needed to apologize.
Still, the moment is rare—Musk rarely admits he was wrong, especially in public.